Gazelle Scarab Digitonthophagus gazella

Classification

Digitonthophagus [genus] (1)

Digitonthophagus [genus] (1)

Recorded on	Sint Eustatius
	Sint Maarten

Presence status	Introduced (2) - Sint Eustatius
	Introduced (2) - Sint Maarten

Natural distribution	Africa

Distribution description	Introduced in the lesser antilles. The species is native to much of the hotter and drier parts of Africa, and ranges into Madagascar, Asia Minor, India, and Ceylon. Introduced to the New World via Texas in 1972. Intentionally introduced to Texas to speed the removal of livestock dung in pastures. It has a rapid reproduction rate and high mobility. It has been stated that this may be a thread to the native dung beetles of the West Indies

Notes on presence status	The record on St. Maarten in Colijn et al., 2020 was not sure, so Digitonthophagus cf. gazella.

Colijn, E.O., Beentjes, K.K., Butôt, R., Miller, J.A., Smit, J.T., Winter, A.J. de, Hoorn, B. van der 2019. A catalogue of the Coleoptera of the Dutch Antilles. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 162: 67-186. [link]
Colijn, E. & Mekkes, J-J. 2021. Results of an entomological collecting trip to St. Eustatius (Coleoptera). Entomologische Berichten 81(5): 182-190.
Yokoyama, M. 2010. The Incomplete Guide to the Wildlife of Saint Martin. 129 pp. sxm wildlife.
Yokoyama, M. 2013. The Incomplete guide to the wildlife of Saint Martin. Revised and expanded second edition. 131. sxm wildlife.